The four criteria
Each task is scored on four criteria, and each criterion contributes 25% of the task band. Your task band is effectively the average of these four scores.
| Criterion | What the examiner is judging |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement (Task 1) / Task Response (Task 2) | Whether you fully answered the question, covered every part, and supported your ideas — no missing overview, no off-topic paragraphs. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Whether your writing is logically organised and easy to follow — clear paragraphing, and linking that feels natural rather than bolted on. |
| Lexical Resource | The range and precision of your vocabulary, including collocation and spelling — using the right word, not just a big word. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | The variety of sentence structures you control and how few errors they contain — a mix of simple and complex sentences, punctuated correctly. |
The most common ceiling
Two criteria quietly cap most scores: Task Response (not fully answering every part of the prompt) and Coherence & Cohesion (ideas that are fine individually but poorly organised). Candidates often chase 'better vocabulary' when the band is being held down by an unanswered part of the question.
Task 1 vs Task 2: the weighting
You complete two tasks, but they are not worth the same. Task 2 (the essay) carries twice the weight of Task 1 in your overall Writing band. The formula is: (Task 1 band + 2 × Task 2 band) ÷ 3.
Worked example: Task 1 band 6.0 and Task 2 band 7.0 gives (6.0 + 14.0) ÷ 3 = 6.67, which rounds to a Writing band of 6.5. Because Task 2 counts double, a strong essay can pull up a weaker Task 1 — but a weak essay is very hard to rescue.
Sfat
Spend about 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. Since Task 2 is worth twice as much, protect its time even if Task 1 feels unfinished.
Word counts and penalties
- Task 1 must be at least 150 words; Task 2 at least 250 words. Writing under the limit is penalised under Task Achievement/Response.
- There is no upper limit, but padding rarely helps — quality and relevance beat length.
- Going badly off-topic, memorising a pre-learned answer, or copying the prompt wording all reduce your Task score.
- Handwriting (paper test) that can't be read costs marks; on the computer test this risk disappears.
Idei principale
- Four criteria, each 25%: Task Achievement/Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range & Accuracy.
- Overall Writing band = (Task 1 + 2 × Task 2) ÷ 3 — the essay counts double.
- Task Response and Coherence are the most common hidden ceilings — answer every part and organise clearly.
- Meet the word counts (150 / 250) and manage time (20 / 40 minutes).
Get structured feedback on your writing
Practise IELTS WritingÎntrebări frecvente
What are the four IELTS Writing marking criteria?
Task Achievement (Task 1) or Task Response (Task 2), Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Each criterion is worth 25% of the task band.
Is Task 2 worth more than Task 1 in IELTS Writing?
Yes. Task 2 is weighted twice as heavily as Task 1. The overall Writing band is calculated as (Task 1 band + 2 × Task 2 band) ÷ 3, then rounded to the nearest half band.
What happens if I write fewer than the required words?
Writing under 150 words in Task 1 or 250 words in Task 2 is penalised under the Task Achievement/Response criterion. It is better to be slightly over than under the minimum.
Can AI or software give me an accurate Writing band?
AI feedback can highlight grammar, vocabulary and structure quickly and is excellent for practice, but the official band is awarded by a trained human examiner. Use AI estimates to improve between attempts, not as a substitute for the real thing.